tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Neurohospitalist
. 2022 Jan;12(1):86-89.
doi: 10.1177/19418744211004315. Epub 2021 Apr 7.
Nonepileptic Myoclonus in COVID-19: Case Report
Henly Hewan[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Annie Yang[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Aparna Vaddiparti[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Benison Keung[SUP] 4 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
In late 2019, the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, and the disease it causes, COVID-19, was identified. Since then many different neurological manifestations of COVID-19 have been well reported. Movement abnormalities have been rarely described. We report here a critically ill patient with COVID-19 who developed generalized myoclonus during the recovery phase of the infection. Myoclonus was associated with cyclical fevers and decreased alertness. Movements were refractory to conventional anti-epileptic therapies. There was concern that myoclonus could be part of a post-infectious immune-mediated syndrome. The patient improved fully with a 4-day course of high-dose steroids. Our experience highlights a rare, generalized myoclonus syndrome associated with COVID-19 that may be immune-mediated and is responsive to treatment.
Keywords: COVID-19; immune-mediated; myoclonus; post-infectious.
. 2022 Jan;12(1):86-89.
doi: 10.1177/19418744211004315. Epub 2021 Apr 7.
Nonepileptic Myoclonus in COVID-19: Case Report
Henly Hewan[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Annie Yang[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Aparna Vaddiparti[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Benison Keung[SUP] 4 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 34950392
- PMCID: PMC8689525 (available on 2023-01-01)
- DOI: 10.1177/19418744211004315
Abstract
In late 2019, the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, and the disease it causes, COVID-19, was identified. Since then many different neurological manifestations of COVID-19 have been well reported. Movement abnormalities have been rarely described. We report here a critically ill patient with COVID-19 who developed generalized myoclonus during the recovery phase of the infection. Myoclonus was associated with cyclical fevers and decreased alertness. Movements were refractory to conventional anti-epileptic therapies. There was concern that myoclonus could be part of a post-infectious immune-mediated syndrome. The patient improved fully with a 4-day course of high-dose steroids. Our experience highlights a rare, generalized myoclonus syndrome associated with COVID-19 that may be immune-mediated and is responsive to treatment.
Keywords: COVID-19; immune-mediated; myoclonus; post-infectious.